H. pylori clarithromycin resistance above the Maastricht criteria in Hungary

Resistance to clarithromycin is proved to be the major cause behind Helicobacter pylori eradication failures. Resistance rate shows an increasing trend especially in Eastern, Southern and Central Europe. In order to test clarithromycin resistance rate in Hungary three University Pathology Departments (1st and 2nd Institutes of Pathology, Semmelweis University, Budapest and the Pathology Department of University of Szeged) carried out fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) based clarithromycin resistance assays on altogether 4714 non-eradicated and 403 unsuccessfully eradicated patients between 2003–2007. Both…